Training season vs. send season: how a climbing year actually splits

TL;DR: Most climbers end up with a rough rhythm to their year, indoor training through the wetter months, outdoor sessions when conditions cooperate, and a stretch somewhere in between focused on pulling it all together. The exact months shift depending on where you climb, but the pattern tends to repeat.

What does training season actually look like?

For a lot of climbers on the West Coast, this lines up with the wetter months, when outdoor rock is inconsistent and gym time fills the gap. This is usually when people focus on the less glamorous stuff, finger strength, footwork drills, working weaknesses on the board rather than chasing sends. It's not the exciting part of the year, but it's where a lot of the actual gains happen.

When does send season usually start?

Once conditions dry out and stay that way for stretches at a time. In Squamish, that generally means the drier months, when granite actually holds friction instead of turning slick every other day. This is when a lot of the training from earlier in the year gets tested against real rock instead of a board in a gym.

Is there a transition period?

Usually, yes. There's often a stretch where conditions are improving but not fully reliable yet, some dry weekends mixed with wet ones. A lot of climbers use this time to start moving projects outdoors while keeping a foot in the gym, rather than committing fully to one or the other before conditions settle.

Does gear and chalk usage change across the year?

A bit. Indoor training sessions tend to be shorter and more repetitive, so chalk usage is more about consistency than adapting to conditions. Outdoor sessions bring humidity, temperature swings, and longer days on the rock into the mix, which is where a chalk that holds up outside its comfort zone actually gets tested.

FAQ

When does climbing season start in Squamish? It generally lines up with the drier months, once granite holds friction more reliably. Exact timing varies year to year based on weather.

What should climbers focus on during training season? A lot of climbers use the wetter months for finger strength, footwork, and working weaknesses on a board, rather than chasing outdoor sends.

Is indoor training necessary if I mainly climb outdoors? It's common for outdoor-focused climbers to use indoor training season to build strength and technique that gets tested outside once conditions improve.

Does chalk performance matter more in one season than the other? Outdoor sessions tend to expose chalk performance more, since humidity and temperature shift throughout the day in a way gym conditions don't.

The takeaway

A climbing year usually has a rhythm to it, even if the exact months shift with the weather. Training season builds the base, send season is where it gets tested, and the transition in between is worth using rather than rushing through.